The origin of the term Dumbwaiter

Dumbwaiters, small industrial cargo lounges, are almost everywhere in hotels, bars and restaurants. They are often used to reduce excursions and simplify daily tasks for kitchen and hotel staff, these devices are extremely popular due to their compact size, versatility, ease of use, and relative strength.

Still, many people know the concept of dumbwaiter, very few actually stopped and wondered where this name came from and why it was first accepted for that device. In addition to the hotel and catering kitchen areas, what is the other link between the industrial elevator and the waiter? Where does the "silly" part come from? Does this point to lack of intelligence or lack of speech? All these questions and more will be formulated in the following lines.

The unspeaking Staffer

The exact origin of the dumbwaiter term is difficult to determine, but its etymology is relatively undisputed. The term resulting from the fact that small freight elevators with the same name are often used to accommodate the actual member of staff in an inadvertent manner; the "stupid waiter" therefore referred to the way these tools performed the tasks that would normally be taken care of while at the same time invisible, unheeded or in other words "silent".

It is thought that this term was first used in the middle of the 19th century in US-rich homes and estates. However, it seems to be a consensus that the first term rose to public opinion when used in Harold Pinter's theatrical performance The Dumb Waiter. First in 1957, the piece quickly emerged as an international fame and reputation, and with it the "dumbwaiter" as its synonym for a small industrial cargo elevator. This game is due to the fact that the term is thought to have come into public consciousness at one and the same time and is thus a real actor, or at least responsible for propagation in Western society. ] The Change Campaign

Perhaps more surprising than the origin or meaning of the word dumbwaiter is the fact that in recent years several parties have lobbyed to change. The term now seems to be slightly humiliating and many substitution conditions have slowly but surely assumed their place in the past decades. Alternative names for this type of device include microlift, lazy Susan and Tray, all of which are more acceptable and more politically correct than the term defined in the above lines.

Despite all these efforts, it seems unlikely that the term dumbwaiter will soon be out of the public's mind. Even if these alternative denominations are increasingly socially informed, the transition will not happen from one day to the next; the process probably takes several years and these small, useful tools are still known by their current name.

Whatever name is known, however, one thing seems clear: dumbwaiters have to continue to play the same role in hospitality and hospitality in the next decades. These lifts are a versatile and easy-to-use product of any large industrial style kitchen or laundry room and this status will remain unchanged for the foreseeable future. Regardless of dumbwaiters, microlifts, lazy Susans, trays or other names, these lifts continue to be the best friends of hotel and hospital staff as long as they stay in production